Fish-cutting machine



March 8, 1938. E. DAVID E-r Al. 2,110,416

FISH CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. so, 1955 s Ysheets-sheet 1 March 8', 1938. E. DAVID ET A1.

l FISH CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. so, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .lIuI-lnlhnlll-ll- Il E NM QN y BY STEPHEN Szoor.

mman/L INVENTOR. Eon/Ano Av/p C @U NW ,.i OWS ATTORLEY March 8, 1938.` E. DAVID Er Ax,

FISH CUTTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 30, 1935 @lila Erl/#1227171 km CAN INVENTOR. Fon/ARQ .DAV/o STEPHEN IIII.

ATTOR Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFleE side,

Calif.

y' Application November 3o, 1935, serial No. 52,394

3 Claims.

This invention pertains to fish cutting machinesand has for one ofitsl objects the provision of means for the cutting of fillets from iish which have had preliminary preparation by other cut- Y ting devices.` K

In particular this invention relates to a machine wliich is adapted to slice only vthe finest and boneless meat from fish preparatory to the smoking and canning of such pieces. In these respects it is to be distinguished from those machines which cut and otherwise partially prepare whole vfish for While in the following description reference will be made to the treatment of Monterey sardines, it will be appreciated that our device may be adjusted and regulated for use with other varieties and sizes of iish without departing from the spirit of lthe invention. It will also be appreciated that while our machine has been developed and designed primarily for use as a part of equipment used in the preparationfof sh for canning, that nevertheless theprinciple of the invention and the machine disclosed herein may be readily adapted for use in the ordinary com- 25 mercial handling of iish where it is desired to cut the select portions of sh rapidly and eciently preparatory to the sale thereof.

Before describing our machine in more specic detail it is worthy of note that our device has been developed to handle sh which have had their heads, tails and viscera removed by other mechanisms. In other words, when the sh is introduced into our cutter it consists of only the meaty portion of the sh,the backbone and belly as a whole.

The cut fish are introduced into our machine by means of a spider timed to push cut fish in the condition-just described, from an endless conveyor passing through the preliminary cutting means and at right angles to the conveying means of our device. Thereaftenthe fish are conveyed through the various mechanisms about to be described. Throughout 'the course of treatment by our device the fish are held with their bellies uppermost. y

We employ an endless conveyor which consists of a series of wooden blocks having a trough-like construction with the concavity or slot extending longitudinally ofthe conveyor means, in which blocks the sh are retained with the tail end of the piece foremost.v

Being thus retainedthe iish progress toward y a pair of overlapping horizontally disposed rotary knives which' cut the 'belly 4section'of the fish longitudinally and then` the remaining vsection of the fish moves forward to pass under and through a pair of parallel vertically disposed rotary knives which make a pair of longitudinal cuts to separate the iillets from thevbackbone, spring ten. sioned pressure means being employed to insure proper delivery of these Asections of the iish to the respective cutters and to maintain proper alignment. From thence the fillets progress to a point of discharge onto any suitable conveying means and the backbone sections are guided out of the vertical cutters into a chute for disposal.

With this statement of objects and generall description in mind we proceed to consideration of the drawings and a more detailed description of the parts of our device. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of our invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of our machine.

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 37-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a schematic View of a fish during the horizontal cutting operation. Figure 5 is a side elevational view showing the shape of the fish after the cutting operation shown in Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a schematic view showing the nal or vertical longitudinal cutting operation.

Our device is mounted on a table I Il having legs II. Upper and lower bars I2 and I3, respectively, extend longitudinally between the legs for strengthening purposes, and the former also serve as a mount for certain elements to be described.

An endless chain I4 runs lengthwise of the table I0, being engaged by sprockets I5 and I6, disposed at opposite ends of the table and keyed to shafts I'I and I8, respectively, which are suitably journaled in the legs II. Wooden blocks I9, secured to the chain I4, form the conveying means employed in moving the iish through our machine. As illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the chain I4 passes through a medial slot 20 in the table I0 while the blocks I9 slide along its top surface.

The shape of the blocks I 9 is illustrated to best advantage in Figure 3, from which it will be noted that they have longitudinally extending concavities 2|, designed to receive the back of the fish (see Figures 4 and 5), below which there is a trough 22 to receive the edges of the vertical knives to be later described.

These blocks are so connected to the chain I4 that when the latter is moving on a horizontal planethey t end to Vend to form a continuous moving trough into which the fish are slid in readiness for the cutting operation.

As a means for insuringdelivery of the nah in proper alignment to the first of the cutting operations we employ the adjustable guides 2l, the distance between which may be varied to accommodate fish of Adifferent thicknesses. These guides 23 are mounted on bracket 24 secured to table il (see Figure 3) by bolts 2l passing through slots 2l in the feet 21. By unscrewing bolts 25 the guides 2lmay be moved inwardly or outwardly for the adjustment desired.

Extensions 2l of the guides 2l are hinged thereto, as at 2l, and'proiect forwardly under the knives. to a point Jmt short of the cuttingV edge ofknives 3i andservetoretainthenshin proper alignment during the nrst cutting operation and insure delivery to the second cutting operation. 'As indicated in Figure 2 oi' the drawings, these extensions taper downwardly at their free endsrand spring I2 urges them together to define a restricted passageway through which the iish must pass during the cutting operations.

A at spring Il, secured to the rod.- supported by the brackets It. presses downwardly on the'iish to hold them securely `while the first or belly cut is being made and prevent accidental displacement.

The horizontally disposed knives Il are keyed to the stub shafts II fwhicbare suitably journaled in the table Il and (see Figures 3 and 4) their edgesare set to overlap to eil'ect a complete cut. These knives are rotated by the engagement oi bevel gears l1. keyed to shaft 36, with corresponding gears, on main shaft I9, the drive of which will be hereinafter described.

The cut eiected by knives III is shown to best advantage in Figure 4 of the drawings, in which a sh is shown moving tail end foremost into the knives which shear oi! the belly, fins and undesirable dark meat, leaving the ilsh 40 in the condition illustrated in Figure 5.

'Ihe undesirable portions cut away during this operation may be discharged from vthe machine in any number of ways. As an expedient we show a guide bar 1i curved across the medial line of the machine and adapted to move the trimmings to one side of the cutting elements. As a further detail of construction it may prove practical to use a mechanical conveyor or a trough and stream of wat to dispose of the same.

The sh, it will be appreciated, pass at `once to knives 3l which effect the final cut, the second cuttingoperation commencing on the tail end of the fish before the iirst has been completed.

The vertically disposed knives li are keyed to shaft Il journaled in the posts 42 secured to .the table III. A sprocket '43, at the end of shaft fillets, it willV be understood pass on either sideof them. It will also be noted that as the knives 3i extend downwardly into slots 22 into blocks I9, there is a complete -severance of the fillets from the remainder of the sh.

At the completion of this cutting operation the llets fall away from the knives 3| onto the top of blocks l! and are carried thereby to the end of the machine from whence they are dropped to any conventional conveyor means (not shown) for delivery to the next operation in the processing beyond the scope of the subject matter of the present invention.

The backbones. on the other hand. are rvs-V most of the two, is disposed downwardly between the knives at approximately a 45 angle to serve as a buffer against which the backbone section of the sh is thrown by the momentum imparted to it by the knives Il. '111e lower stripper, l1, isspacedapartfromtheupperoneandafter projecting outwardly on a horizontal plane from the chutey 4l to a point proximate the cutting edge of knives ll, is arcuately curved downwardlytoapointiustabovethebottanofslot 22 in blocks Il. its function being to insure removal of the backbone sections of the sh and overcome any tendency of sticking as well as to guide the same into chute Il.

'Thus it will benotedthatwiththe aidoithe two strippers the centrifugal force of the rotary knives 3i, plus pressure of oncoming nsh on blocks i9, will be suilicient to cause the backbone sections to move into chute 4I by which they will be carried to some other part of the plant for rendition into useful by-products.

We have explained that the knives 30 and Il are rotated through certain connections with shaft 39. This shaft. in turn, is rotated by the engagement of gear 6I, carried thereby, with chain 5i which passes over a sprocket 52 on shaft 63. A pulley Il, on this latter shaft, receives itsmomentum from any suitable source of power (not shown) through belt 55. Likewise, a sprocket 56 on shaft I! drives chain 51 which. by engagement with sprocket 58 on shaft I8 and through the means of gears 80 and Il, the latter on shaft i8, causes the chain il to revolve about sprockets I5 and i6.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the draw-` ings, our device is positioned at right angles to the conveyor means running through the device which removes the heads, tails and viscera. While this particular conveyor is conventional and therefore forms no part of our invention, a brief description of it will aid in a better understanding of the construction and operation of our device. It consists of a chain 62 each,v link of which carries a. transversely disposed wooden block 63 having a fish receiving slotv such as 64.

The delivery mechanism forming a part of our machine consists of the spider 65 which is superposed above the conveyor 62 (see Figure 1). The spider is mounted on a shaft B8, journaled in posts 61 which are bolted onto table III. The upper ends of posts 61 are bent outwardly in the form of a goose neck so that the axis of the spider 65 is in perpendicular alignment with the ,chain t2. Rotation of the spider, in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, is accomplished through rthe provision of a sprocket 69, on shaft 68, which is engaged by a chain 'Il connected to any suitable source'of power (not shown). v

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings illustrate the relationship of the arms of the spider 65 to the blocks 63 on conveyor chain 62 and indicate thatl the arrangement of parts is such that the arms of the spider 65 are designedand 'adapted to be timed to sweep through the blocks pushing n'sh carried thereby onto blocks I9 in the conveyor mechanism feeding our machine. To insure against any breaking or tearing of the fish the ends of the arms of the spider 65 are bent rearwardly, as at 66, so that the portion thereof striking the sh is relatively smooth and unbroken. Any tendency of the arms of the spider 65 to crowd or damage the iish 40 while sweeping through blocks 63 may be corrected by simply adjusting the mount of same to pitch the axis of shaft 68 at a slight angle to chain 62 whereby the arms will enter the slot 64 at the far wall of same and leave adjacent the near wall.

With the foregoing description in mind the operation of our machine will be readily understood. The fish 40 is pushed from conveyor 62 by the spider 65, tail end foremost, into the concavities 2| of blocks 9. Guides 23 keep the sh in line during the course of its movement toward the cutting mechanisms and at spring 33 presses iish 40 downwardly into concavity 2| in block I9 so that the belly cut will be exact. Passing under knives 30 the fish 40 is guided into vertical knives 3| by the spring tensioned extensions 28 so that when the llet cut is made longitudinally of the iish the backbone will pass between the knives 3| and the fillets will fall to either side thereof. From this point the fillets are conveyed, on the surface of blocks I9, to the end of the machine from whence they fall onto any conventional conveyor for transportation to other parts of the plant and additional treatment. Strippers 46 and 41 insure the removal of the backbone pieces from the machine and guide them into a discharge chute I8.

It will be appreciated that our machine is subject to many modications and that adequate provision has been made for such adjustments as may be necessitated through the handling of various species of iish. Since only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated we do not wish to be limited to that form only but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by grant of Letters Patent is:

1. In a sh cutting machine, the combination of an endless conveyor having a longitudinal sh receiving concavity therein, cutting means for removing the belly portions of the sh on said conveyor, cutting means for separating the 'fillets from the backbone of said fish, and expansible guide means between said first named cutting means and said conveyor, said guide means cooperating with said conveyor and said rst named cutting means to^retain the fish in alignment during the rst named cutting operation and for delivery of the iish to the action of said second named cutting means.

2. In a fish cutting machine, the combination of an endless conveyor having a longitudinal sh receiving concavity therein, cutting means for removing the belly portions of the fish on said conveyor, cutting means for separating the llets from the backbone of said fish, and guide means above and on either side of the concavity in said endless conveyor the discharge ends of which are expansible and cooperate with said conveyor and said first-named cutting means tov retain the fish in alignment during the rst-named cutting operation and for delivery of the sh to the action of said second-named cutting means.

3. In a iish cutting machine, the combination of an endless conveyor having a longitudinal iish receiving concavity therein, cutting means for removing the belly portions of the fish on said conveyor, cutting means for separating the fillets from the backbone of said sh, and guide means i above and on either side of the concavity in said endless conveyor with their discharge ends extending under said first-named cutting means, the discharge vends of said guide means being also expansible and cooperating with said conveyor and said rst-named cutting means to retain the sh in alignment during the first-named cutting operation and for delivery of the iish to the action of said second-named cutting means.

EDWARD DAVID.' STEPHEN SZODY. 

